Providing the Comforts of Palliative Care

An increasing number of Midcoast residents are experiencing the benefits of palliative care offered by CHANS Home Health Care. The CHANS Palliative Care Program is dedicated to meeting the needs of individuals while they seek active treatment for a life threatening illness such as cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or heart disease. The program promotes patient comfort and dignity, while offering support for family and caregivers.

"Studies show that engaging in palliative care early on in the treatment of a life threatening illness will improve the patient’s quality of life and can even extend the length of survivorship,” said Chris Corriveau, Director of Hospice and Palliative Care at CHANS. "Palliative care helps lessen not only the physical symptoms associated with the disease and treatment processes, but also helps lessen the emotional impact that accompanies serious illness.”

Palliative Care patients establish a supportive, trusting, and long-term relationship with a nurse who is trained in pain management and symptom control. Through this relationship, they are able to collaborate on the patient’s care plan, as well as address preferences for treating pain and associated side effects. In addition, Palliative Care patients often make fewer trips to the doctor and emergency room as a result of the extra support and the means to control their symptoms at home.